VIKINGS FACING FINANCIAL CONSTRAINTS OF METRODOME

Vikings President Roger Headrick spoke before the NFL
Management Council and told members "how difficult it is for
the Vikings to remain competitive," according to Sid Hartman
of the Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE. Headrick was "very upset"
when Metropolitan Sports Facilities Commission Chair Henry
Savelkoul "killed any chance of building a new multipurpose
stadium for the Vikings and Twins," and "is equally upset"
that officials "can't agree on a price to sell the Met
Center land so that the Vikings ... could get some reduction
in rent for the Metrodome." Headrick: "I have not explored
the possibility of the Vikings moving to Cleveland, [L.A.]
or Houston and don't have any plans to do so. The NFL
doesn't want franchises to move" (STAR TRIBUNE, 9/14).
CNN's Peter King reported that if the Twins get a ballpark
deal, the Vikings "will be forced to move; there's a lot of
skepticism in that organization, whether they can last in
Minnesota. If the Vikings move, I think there's no question
it will be to Cleveland" ("NFL Preview," CNN, 9/14).
NO THANKS: The Vikings "rejected" a $50,000 offer from
WFTC-Fox to buy the remaining tickets for Sunday's game to
lift the local blackout (Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE, 9/13).